Tuesday December 2nd 2025
Craig Hoy, MSP, joined protestors outside Haddington town hall as they called for plans to introduce parking charges in the town centre to be scrapped.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Council staff will be given special parking permits when charges are introduced for users of car parks near East Lothian Council’s headquarters.
Revised plans for introducing charges in towns across the county include proposals to provide the local authority’s own employees with the passes for Haddington town centre car parks where other workers and visitors will have to pay up to £6 a day.
Elected councillors will meet next week to discuss plans to introduce charging for on and off street parking in Haddington, Dunbar, Tranent and Musselburgh.
The proposals have met widespread opposition with local traders and residents warning it will impact on business and use of the town centres.
However reports due to go before councillors, which were published today, argue the ‘perception’ of an impact on trade is not proven.
And officers argue while people believe parking in the town centres is ‘free’ it is a ‘misconception saying: “In real terms the provision of parking requires on going inspection and maintenance of parking spaces, which is paid for through council tax and business rates charge to the residents and businesses of East Lothian.”
In Haddington where thousands have signed petitions against the charges and protests have been held outside council chambers, some concessions to initial proposals are now included with some wider on street charging areas withdrawn, an extension of the free parking time near the main GP centre from 30 minutes to 45 minutes and the removal of Sunday charging.
In the town’s two main car parks, one behind the council headquarters at John Muir House, and the other known as Tesco long stay car park, charging will be introduced at 50p for every 30 minutes up to six hours in one and £5 in the other. However council staff will be provided with parking permits.
It is not clear what, if any, charge will be associated with the permits or whether elected councillors will be eligible to use them.
In Musselburgh concessions include increasing the length of stay in medium stay car parks where charges will also be at 50p for 30 minutes to six hours and charging from midday on Sundays.
A proposed extension to the residents permit scheme around the train station has been scrapped.
In Dunbar proposals to introduce residents only parking have been scrapped and the initial stay on the High Street increased from 30 minutes free to 45 minutes before charging £1 for an additional 30 minutes.
At Bleachingfield Centre where many parents drop off children for school each day they will be given 5 minutes of free parking while centre users will not be charged to park. They are also recommending plans to charge for the town’s Lauderdale car park are dropped.
In Tranent there are also amendments proposing scrapping a residents permit scheme and Sunday charging.
The plans, if approved by councillors next week, will begin the process of applying for the required Traffic Regulation Orders to implement them.
The full papers are available to view here.
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